Apparatus for erosion testing



ug. 9, i949, L. R. JAcKsoN ET Al.

APPARATUS FOR EROSION TESTING Filed Nov. 18, 1944 I fluyd R flackfm-L ww www@ l m @l0 v a, f u

Edward f I Ramal E Memwjffl.

Patented Aug. 9, l1949 2,478,659 APPARATUS Fon EnosioN TESTING Lloyd R. Jacksony and Edward J; Ramaley, Columbus,V Ohio, assignors to Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November'l, 1944, Serial No. 564,156

1 This invention relatesto an apparatus for testing the resistance of materials to erosion. It is adapted for classifying materials in regard to their relative resistance to erosion by gases, and it is especially suitedfor erosion tests of metals under conditions simulating those in a gun barrel inservice.

It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for determining the relative erosion resistance of materials, testing of materials for use in gun barrels; how- Anotner object of our invention is to provide a ever, it is to be understood that the apparatus and means of determining the relative erosion rates of the principles herein described ere adaptable With materials when subjected to the erosive action of only minor changes to the teStllg 0f other types hot gases under conditions of the type encounof materials to determine their relative erosion tered in gun barrels, gas turbines, superchargers, rete under various types 0f Service. t propulsign devices, rocket motors, and Similar In the illustrated embodiment Of Olll IlVGIl'blOnI appiicationg Figure 1 shows in assembled relation an experi- Yet another object of this invention is to promenta-1 unit embodying the principles of this invide a test unit for experimental work which will Venton- The unit essentially comprises a recrepeatedly and accurately reproduce the condi- 9@ tengular block l5 having e.- Centl'dlly located bore tions existing in the bore of a gun during firing, i9 in which the combustion chamber elements without the necessity for discharging high veare mounted, a breech block l, and a ring mechlocity ammunition. anism secured to the breech block. The block I8 A further object of this invention is to provide is supported in any desired manner and is proa test unit which will produce greatly accelerated f5 vided about its periphery With a plurality 0f reercsion of test steel specimens. cesses 32. The breech block l is rigidly secured Other and further objects of this invention will to the block I8 by means 0f a plurality of bolts 3i be apparent from the following detailed disclosure which are pivotally munl'fed 011 the periphery 0f and as pointed out in the appended claims. the breech block I on pins 4e. Bolts 3l are ar- In order to mush-ate the apparat-,ug of our inranged to pivotally enter respective recesses 32 of vention and to enable a clear understanding of its blOCl I3 and ele bOlleOl thel'elfO by IIJS 33. novel features as well as the scientic iunda- The firing mechanism is mounted on the undermentals involved, reference is had to the accom- Side 0f breeeh bleek l and comprises a SolenoidZ panying drawings, illustrating a preferred em- Which iS Supported between GWO spaced plates 3 bodiment of one form of our invention primarily and 4 Which ere in turn Secured to breech block I adapted for the testing of barrel materials, in by means of a plurality of bolts il. A tube 5 of which; non-magnetic material is mounted thru the cen- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the ter 0f Solenoid 2 and projects below the Solenoid. test unit. Within the tube 5 is located a plunger type ham-- Figure2is an enlarged fragmentary View of the 40 mer e of magnetic material. In the center'of test unit showing the arrangement of the barrel, cartridge, and firing mechanism in detail.

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View of the specimen holder.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view showing an arrangement whereby the cartridge may be readily removed iroin the barrel when such. cartridge is diiilcult to extract by normal means.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view showing apparatus for recording time interval of gas dow.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary top elevational View of the barrel and ring assembly removed from the gun.

3 Claims. (Cl. '7S- 7) VBefore explaining in detail the present invention, it is to be understood that the inventionV is capable of being practiced or carried out in various Ways., it being understood also that thev -phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of illustration and not of limitation.

For the purposes of illustration, this invention will be described primarily in its relation to the plate 3, which is adjacent the bottom surface o1 breech block l as shown in Figure 1,l there is' provided a hole 'l in which is located a danged bushing 8 having its flange 8u resting against the top surface-of plate 3.

The bottom surface of breech block I is provided tvith a recess e which accommodates the flange Se on the bushing 8. A vertical hole I0 is provided thru breech block i concentric withv bushing e and a ring pin l2 is mounted therein. Firing pin l2 has collar I3 which travels `in a counterbored portion l! of hole Ill. Movement of the rlng pin is thus limited by cooperation of collar I3 with the flange da, and the end of the counterbored portion II. The top surface of 3 breech block is provided with a counterbore I5 about the hole IU and a hardened. bushing I6 (Figure 2) is inserted therein. Bushing I6 serves not only for a guide for ring pin |2 but also supports the base of the cartridge case, as will be presently described.

The hole I9 in block IB is provided with a conical counterbored portion at its bottom end to receive a correspondingly shaped support ring 22. When the breech block I is securely fastened to the block I8, the support ring 22 is forced into full engagement into the conical counterbored portion 2s of block I8. The support ring 22 is provided with an axial chamber 24 which is shaped to receive the end portion of a cartridge case 25.

As shown in more detail in Figure 2, a barrel 2| is snugly mounted within the hole I9. Barrel 2| comprises a hollow cylindrical member having a concentric counterbored portion 23 at its base which aligns with the hole 24 in support ring 22 and in conjunction therewith forms a chamber for the cartridge case 25 which, for example, may compiise the powder containing portion of a 12-gage shotgun shell having a powder charge 31. Extending upwardly thru barrel 2| from the counterbored portion 23 there is provided a tapered longitudinal hole 25. A transverse radial hole 21 may also be provided in the upper end of barrel 2| for a purpose to be described. A plate 28 is secured to the top of block I8 by means of bolts 29 and is provided with a hole 3o which is concentrically aligned with the end of the tapered hole 26 in barrel 2|. Plate 28 also cooperates with support ring 22 to hold the barrel 2| firmly in place.

A 4specimen holder 34 is provided in the form of a hollow conical member which is shaped to enter the enlarged portion of tapered hole 26 and to engage therein in wedging relation. The specimen holder 34 is centrally recessed to provide a central hole 4| (Figure 3) when assembled. The hole 4| thus formed is counterbored from the enlarged end of specimen holder 34 for a substantial distance to provide a test specimen stopping surface 39 and a specimen chamber 42. Test specimens and 36 are then inserted in specimen chamber 42, Each test specimen preferably comprises a semi-cylindrical member but the specimens are spaced apart by shims 43 to dene an orifice 44 (Figures 2 and 3).

This experimental unit has proved particularly valuable in conducting accelerated erosion tests of gun barrel steels. With this device test specimen 35 may be fabricated from a standard material, that is, a material whose erosion characterist-ics and life are known. If test specimen 36 is fabricated from the unknown material to be tested, a very accurate comparative test is accomplished since both specimens are subjected to identical erosion conditions. The two specimens, the standard and unknown, are inserted in specimen chamber 42 formed by the specimenvholder 34 and separated by shims 43 of desired thick-V ness to form an axial orice 44. This assembly is then inserted in the tapered hole 26 in the test barrel 2|. The cartridge case 25 containing a measured charge of powder 31 is inserted in the chamber dened by the counterbore 23 of the test barrel and the hole 24 of the ring support 22. The breech block I is then secured to the block I8 and the whole assembly is thus rigidly locked together due to the wedging action between the several components.

The test unit may now be fired by energization of the solenoid 2 from a suitable source of electric current (not shown). The magnetic forces of the solenoid 2 cause the hammer 6 to rise, striking the firing pin I2, which in turn discharges the primer of the cartridge case 25. The gases generated by the explosion of the powder charge 31 are expelled'thru the narrow orice 44 defined by the surfaces of the test specimens 35 and 36 and hence such surfaces are subjected to the eroding action of high pressure, high temperature, high velocity gases under conditions very similar to that obtained in the discharge of a projectile in a gun barrel.

Following the ring of a cartridge, the test unit is disassembled to load the next cartridge. In the event that difl'iculty is experienced in extraction of the cartridge case 25 due to the expansion produced by the firing, the transverse radial hole 21 in barrel 2| may be utilized as illustrated in Figure 5 to secure extraction. As shown in this figure the barrel 2| and support ring 22 secured together by the `binding action of the cartridge 25 are supported on a hollow member 45, such as a piece of pipe, by means of a rod 46 slipped thru transverse radial hole 21. A second hollow member 41 having suitable longitudinal slots 48 to clear the rod 46 is slipped over the end of barrel 2| and engages support ring 22. The member 41 is then hammered and the resulting forces on support ring 22 will free cartridge 25 from barrel 2| and permit its extraction.

Under conditions produced by this unit it has been found that the erosion of the test specimen surfaces is greatly accelerated and an accurate indication of erosion life of any unknown specimen may be obtained in 50 shots or less. The rapidity of accelerated erosion is, of course, dependent upon the weight of powder with which the cartridge case 25 is loaded. Best results have been observed with powder charges ranging from .25 to 1 gram.

Another obvious factor influencing rate of erosion of the test specimens is the length of time of flow of the highA pressure, high temperature gases past the test specimen. Such rate is, of course, dependent upon the weight of powder charge used and its burning characteristics, but in addition depends upon the area of the orifice 44 defined by test specimens 35 and 36 and, oi course, the length of test specimens 35 and 36 along which the gas ilow occurs. For proper interpretation of tests made with this experimental gun, it is necessary than an accurate and reliable method and apparatus for recording the time of gas flow be utilized.

The improved method devised to solve this problem is illustrated by the apparatus shown in Figure 6. The apparatus comprises a disk 5D rotated at a constant known speed by a suitable motor 5I and a pulley 53 mounted in a horizontally extending arm 54. Around the periphery of disk 50 and pulley 53 there is placed a belt 52 of paper or other suitable material which will char upon exposure to hot gases. The belt 52 is then positioned with respect to the test unit so that the gases from the discharge of the cartridge 25 passing thru the hole 30 in plate28 impinge upon the belt of paper 52 on the rotating disk 5U. The gases will thereby produce a charring of that portion of paper belt 52 which has been exposed to their action. Accordingly, the speed of rotation of the disk 50 being known, the time of gas ow may be determined by measurement of the length of charring on the paper strip 52. Despite the relatively short duration of gas ow which is on the order of several thousandths of a second, this method and apparatus nevertheless aiords accurate and reliable measurement of the time of gas ow.

Although our invention has been described primarily with reference to its application in rating the relative erosion resistance of materials for use in gun barrels, it will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that the method and apparatus herein disclosed can be readily adapted for use in connection with materials intended for other types of service involving erosive action. For example, in the case of materials for use in gas turbines, the breech block and the firing mechanism might be eliminated and a suitable combustion chamber connected directly to chamber 23 of barrel 2| in such a manner that the hot expanding gases from the combustion chamber are forced to exit through the orifice I4 between the test specimens 35 and 36.

With the apparatus described herein, the results of erosion tests may not only be observed by the comparison of the unknown with the standard specimen after testing but quantitative determinations may also be made by measurement of the weight loss of the test specimen over the period of the test. By controlling the orifice dimensions, the erosion rate of the test specimens in this apparatus may be so adjusted that a readily Y measurable weight loss from the test specimens may be noted in a relatively short-time test.

We claim:

1. A test gun comprising a base. said base having a recess shaped to define a chamber portionl and a tapered barrel portion decreasing in di-y ameter away from said chamber portion, a breech block member detachably secured to said base and arranged to coniine a powder charge in said chamber portion, said tapered barrel portion constructed to receive a test specimen unit having a restricted gas passage therethrough and a tapered exterior portion corresponding to said tapered barrel portion whereby said unit is rigidly secured therein by wedging action, said chamber portion arranged to communicate with said gas passage when said unit is engaged in said tapered barrel portion, and means arranged to re said powder charge and discharge a flow of gases through said restricted gas passage for erosive action on the walls thereof.

2. A test unit comprising a base, said base having a recess shaped to dene a chamber portion and a tapered barrel portion decreasing in diameter away from said chamber portion, a fluid source secured to said base and arranged to supply a flow of fluid in said chamber portion, a test specimen holder having a passage therethrough and a tapered exterior surface thereon receivable in said tapered barrel portion, said chamber portion arranged to communicate with said passage when said holder is engaged in said tapered barrel portion, and means for discharging fluid to flow through said passage.

3. A test specimen assembly adapted for insertion in a tapered barrel portion of a test unit, said assembly comprising, a support member having a tapered exterior for wedge engagement with the tapered barrel portion whereby said support member may be rigidly secured therein, said support member having an axial bore at the small tapered end and a counterbore at the large end thereof thereby providing a stopping surface at the junction of said bore and counterbore, a pair of test specimens in said counterbore positioned against said stopping surface, each of said test specimens having an inwardly facing iiat face, and means for separating said at faces to deflne an orifice between said test specimens.

LLOYD R.. JACKSON. EDWARD J. RAMALEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 829,117 Maxim Y Aug. 21, 1906 1,386,087 Blankenhorn Aug. 2, 1921 1,476,775 Sproull Dec. 11, 1923 1,801,449 Olsen et al. Apr. 21, 1931 2,111,315 Damblanc Mar. 15, 1938 2,283,954 Schroeder et al. May 26, 1942 2,377,425 Jackson June 5, 1945 

